There were two full days of sunshine this week! My spirits rose with the cloud dispersal, and I have a feeling that I'm not alone. When the weather is sunny, I want to get outside and work in the yard, or go for a run--or at least sit in the sunshine and listen to the birds. Really anything outside would do. Laughing at the antics of the chickens and geese is always good. It finally feels like baseball season should be here (it's not actually that fun to sit and watch in the rain!).

This week had a number of highs and lows. The poor Skolaks all had the stomach flu, but at the store we got to meet sweet Nora (Liz and Ethan's new baby girl), and Bailey is home from Scotland for a few weeks, and filling in. We have a tight knit crew around here, and it was a joy to reconnect with former employees.

From the Galapagos islands to the the mountains of Africa--coffee spans the globe. This week we're headed to the Karatu Coffee Estate, in the Ngorongoro Highlands of Tanzania. Tanzania is a country in eastern Africa, south of Kenya, which boasts the highest point in the continent, with Mt. Kilimanjaro, and the lowest point, the floor of Lake Tanganyika. This coffee is grown in the Arusha region, at over 5000 feet elevation.

According to our broker, here, the Karatu Coffee Estate is located:

"on the rim of the Ngorongoro crater, which is the largest unbroken caldera in the world and a

UNESCO World Heritage Site. More than 25,000 wild animals, including the largest population

of lions, make their home within the crater walls."

Much care is taken with this coffee, and the peaberries are obtained with careful sorting. A peaberry occurs when only one bean grows in the coffee cherry, and they are generally higher in caffeine. These more rounded and smaller beans have to be hand sorted from the rest of the crop.

In the cup this Tanzania Peaberry Ngorongoro Highlands has distinct citrus tones. It's snappy and sweet, with a light floral finish. Bright and delicious. You can try a cup on us this week with the code below. Keep reading for a snapshot of Teagan. Fun fact: her oldest sister worked here six years ago--you'd be amazed how many siblings we have hired over the years. Well, maybe not amazed, given that I share the office with my sister--and my brother and other sister also worked here years ago! Enjoy the sunshine while it lasts, and drink good coffee. Cheers!

--Holly Fike